Kanji Swami

Kanji Swami
Personal life
Born	(1890-04-21)21 April 1890 Umrala, Bhavnagar State, British India
Died	28 November 1980(1980-11-28) (aged 90) Mumbai, Maharashtra
Parents	Motichand Bhai (father) Ujamba (mother)
Notable work(s)	Jain scholar, philosopher and spiritual leader
Religious life
Religion	Jainism
Sect	Digambar

Kanji Swami (1890–1980) was a teacher of Jainism. He was deeply influenced by the Samayasāra of Kundakunda in 1932. He lectured on these teachings for 45 years to comprehensively elaborate on the philosophy described by Kundakunda and others. He was given the title of "Koh-i-Noor of Kathiawar" by the people who were influenced by his religious teachings and philosophy.

Gurudev Shree Kanji Swami

Biography

Early years

Kanji Swami was born in Umrala, a small village in the Kathiawar region of Gujarat, in 1890 to a Sthanakvasi family. Although an able pupil in school, he always had an intuition that the worldly teachings was not something that he was looking out for. His mother died when he was thirteen and he lost his father at the age of seventeen. After this, he started looking after his father's shop. He used the frequent periods of lull in the shop in reading various books on religion and spirituality. Turning down the proposals of marriage, he confided in his brother that he wanted to remain celibate and take renunciation.

Renunciation and later life

Kanji Swami became a Sthānakavāsī monastic in 1913 under Hirachanda. During the ceremony, while riding on an elephant, he inauspiciously tore his robe, which was later believed to be an ill omen for his monastic career. Being a believer in self effort for achieving emancipation, he quickly became a learned and famous monk and, backed by his seventeen renditions of the Bhagavati Sutra. He was known as "Koh-i-Noor of Kathiawar" (the gem of the Kathiawad region).

During 1921, he read Kundakunda's Samayasāra, which influenced him greatly. He also studied writings of Pandit Todarmal and Shrimad Rajchandra. Other influences were Amritchandra and Banarasidas. During his discourses, he began to incorporate the ideas picked from these studies and began to lead a kind of double life, nominally a Sthānakavāsī monastic but referring to Digambara texts.

His assertions that "vows, giving and fasting were ultimately worthless if performed without any understanding of the soul" did not endear him to the Sthānakavāsī community. He left Sthānakavāsī monastic life and proclaimed himself a celibate Digambara lay scholar at Songadh in Gujarat in 1934. His lectures were recorded on tapes and have been published. His emphasis was on Nishcaya Naya, the higher level of truth, over Vyavahara Naya, ordinary life. Kanji Swami died on 28 November 1980 at Mumbai.

Philosophy

Kanji Panth is a school of Digambara Jainism that posits that the discriminative knowledge between the "true pure knowledge self" and "the other" is the true and the only procedure of self-realization and the path of liberation where definitions of "true pure knowledge self" and "the other" is as originally practiced and described in Samaysara (Essence of Self), Pravachanasara (Essence of Doctrine) and Pancastikayasara (The five cosmic constituents) and their commentaries. They also quote Amritchandra for their support: "In this world, only those are liberated who have understood the 'art of discriminative knowledge'; In this world, only those are in bondage who do not know the 'art of discriminative knowledge'".

The Digambara Jain scholar Kundakunda, in his Pravacanasara states that a Jain mendicant should meditate on "I, the pure self". Anyone who considers his body or possessions as "I am this, this is mine" is on the wrong road, while one who meditates, thinking the antithesis and "I am not others, they are not mine, I am one knowledge" is on the right road to meditating on the "soul, the pure self". This meditative focus contrasts with the anatta focus of Buddhism, and the atman focus in various vedanta schools of Hinduism such as the advaita and vishistadvaita schools. A special stress is placed on "pure real perspective" (Nishchay Naya), predeterminism, compatibility of predeterminism and free will, and "knowledge of self". The scripture of Samayasara is given the highest status as this book describes path to liberation from "pure real perspective" in contrast to Tattvartha Sutra that describes the same subject matter and has approximately same chapters, but from a different point of view. Gatha 1, Gatha 8, Gatha 11, Gatha 13, Gatha 38, Gatha 73, Gatha 320 and Gatha 412 of Samayasara and Gatha 80, Gatha 114 and Gatha 172 of Pravachanasara are considered particularly important because they include techniques of realizing pure self. Commentaries by Amritchandra on Samaysaara and Pravachansara is also given utmost importance and is considered an integral part of the book. They often site this statement from Albert Einstein in support of their philosophy: "Events do not happen. They already exist and are seen on the Time Machine.". Kanji Panth philosophy is similar to that of the Digambara Terapanth denomination in the lineage of Pandit Todarmal, Banarasidas, Rajmal, Deepchand Kasliwal and Shitalprasad which was largely extinct when Kanji Swami arrived on the scene.

There is no centralized management of temples. All Temples are managed independently by a local board of trustees. Apart from numerous temples in India, temples exist in Brampton, Canada; Harrow, London, ; and Mombasa, Kenya.

In an interview in 1977, he denied being hostile to the traditional Jain monasticism and regarded monastics as personifying the fundamental principles of Jainism. However, he also pointed out that taking up formal initiation and behavioural practices, like the abandonment of clothes of Digambara monks, and of other possessions, could not make an individual a true monastic unless he had abandoned internal possessions as well.

Criticism of Kanji Swami and the Kanji Swami Panth

Kanji Swami, the founder of the Kanji Swami Panth (KSP) within Digambara Jainism, has been a controversial figure, facing criticism from various scholars and traditionalists within the Jain community. Born a Sthankavasi in Sonagarh, Gujarat, He is known for his reinterpretation of the first-century Digambara sacred text Samayasara, authored by Acharya Kundkund. His interpretations emphasize the Nischaya-Naya (essential standpoint) over the Vyavahara-Naya (practical standpoint), which has significant implications for the practice and understanding of Jainism.

Philosophical Reinterpretation

His focus on Nischaya-Naya encourages followers to contemplate the true nature of the soul and its purification, often at the expense of practical religious rituals. This shift has led to a reduction in the emphasis on traditional practices that are integral to Jainism. Critics argue that this reinterpretation undermines the holistic approach of Jain philosophy, which values both the essential and practical viewpoints.

Division within the Community

The emergence of the Kanji Swami Panth has created a notable division within the Digambara Jain community, particularly in northern and central India. While the KSP has gained popularity among educated individuals and the diasporic community, it has also been observed that some poorer and lower-caste Digambars support the movement. This division raises concerns about the potential fragmentation of the community and the preservation of traditional Jain values.

Doctrinal Concerns

One of the primary criticisms of the Kanji Swami Panth is its perceived violation of the doctrine of Anekantavada, which advocates for the acceptance of multiple perspectives. Critics argue that by prioritizing Nischaya-Naya, the KSP dismisses the importance of Vyavahara-Naya, leading to a one-sided understanding of Jain philosophy. This preference for one viewpoint over another is seen as contrary to the foundational principles of Jainism, which emphasize the complexity and multifaceted nature of truth.

Stance on Nudity

Another significant point of contention is his stance against nudity, a core tenet of traditional Digambara monks who renounce all clothing as a symbol of their commitment to asceticism. Critics assert that His acceptance of clothed monks contradicts the fundamental practices of Digambara Jainism, raising questions about his authenticity as a Digambara muni. This divergence from traditional norms has led to further scrutiny of the KSP's legitimacy within the broader Digambara community.

Scholarly Critique

Many Scholary tracts have been written in response to the views of Kanji Swami, critiquing his opinions as unscriptural.In Kanji Mat Khandan, Pt. Makkhanlalji Shastri, a prominent Jain scholar, presents a detailed refutation of Kanji Swami's views, drawing on the expertise of numerous Acharyas. Chandrashekhar vijayji, in his book Kanjibhai Matpratikar, provides a critical analysis of his philosophy, highlighting the doctrinal inconsistencies and philosophical shortcomings of the KSP. His work underscores the concerns of traditionalists who view the Kanji Swami Panth as a departure from established Jain teachings.

Conclusion

The Kanji Swami Panth remains a contentious topic within Digambara Jainism, reflecting broader tensions regarding tradition, interpretation, and practice. While it has attracted a following among certain demographics, the criticisms it faces from scholars and traditionalists highlight the ongoing debates about the future of Jain philosophy and the preservation of its core tenets.

Legacy

Main article: Songadh Jain temple

The Digambara Jaina Svādhyāya Mandira was built in 1937. It houses the text Samayasāra in the main temple and the words of Kundakunda's five main treatises have been engraved on its walls. A temple dedicated to Jain Tirthankara Simandhara was consecrated in 1941. Kanji Swami travelled throughout India where he gave discourses and consecrated many temples. Songadh is a major centre. Kanji Swami has many followers in the Jain diaspora. They generally regard themselves simply as Digambara Jains, more popularly known as Mumukshu, following the mystical tradition of Kundakunda and Pandit Todarmal.

See also

• Taran Panth

References

Sources

• Bronkhorst, Johannes (1993), The Two Traditions of Meditation in Ancient India, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1114-0
• Dundas, Paul (2002), The Jains, Library of religious beliefs and practices, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-26605-5
• Johnson, W.J. (1995), Harmless Souls: Karmic Bondage and Religious Change in Early Jainism with Special Reference to Umāsvāti and Kundakunda, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1309-0
• Mahony, William (1997), The Artful Universe: An Introduction to the Vedic Religious Imagination, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0-7914-3580-9